WJPA Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s deference to his catchers might have cost the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 9-8 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ohtani was on the mound in the seventh inning with the Dodgers leading by five. However, things unraveled after a couple of borderline calls to Pittsburgh’s Brandon Lowe went unchallenged. The at-bat ended with Lowe lacing a two-run double that kept the Pirates in the game. Ohtani said afterward he probably should have challenged the calls. The four-time MVP allowed a season-high three earned runs and saw his bid for a fifth straight victory slip away when Pittsburgh rallied against the Los Angeles bullpen. Ohtani did make an impact late offensively, hitting a two-run shot in the ninth that brought the Dodgers within one.

The Pittsburgh Pirates today placed outfielder Oneil Cruz on the 10-day injured list (left hand fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures), retroactive to Monday (June 8), and recalled outfielder Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis.

CRESTWOOD, Il. – Anthony Brocato connected with two home runs in an eight-run Washington sixth inning and then hit his third homer, a solo shot in the eighth, for Washington’s first-ever three-homer night, which highlighted a 13-0 drubbing of the Windy City ThunderBolts Wednesday night in the trip’s opener. Zach Kirby spun six shutout innings with a season-best seven strikeouts and Wild Things pitchers combined to fan 13 ThunderBolts as the other highlight of the night.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks made a record comeback from 29 points down and moved to the brink of their first championship since 1973 by beating the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. OG Anunoby tipped in the miss of Jalen Brunson’s long 3-point attempt with 1.2 seconds remaining to complete the rally, giving the Knicks a 3-1 series lead and three chances to win the championship. It looked impossible early, when the Spurs rolled to a 27-point halftime lead. But Brunson helped bring the Knicks back with 36 points and Anunoby finished with 33. Game 5 is Saturday night in San Antonio.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have reclaimed home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Final.  Not that it’s mattered much in this series.  The Hurricanes split two road games with the Vegas Golden Knights to return home for Thursday’s Game 5 with the best-of-seven series tied 2-2. Normally that would be a reassuring feeling for a team that that has long thrived in its own building in front of its raucous crowd.